Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed Councillor Jan Lugg to the Committee who had replaced Councillor Declan Wilson following a review of Committee allocations.  The Committee expressed their thanks to Councillor Wilson for his past services.

To receive from Members, declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any agenda item. Please see Notes 1 and 2 overleaf.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th December, 2011.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13^th December 2011 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive any questions from members of the public provided that a question does not relate to:

·         Matters which are the subject of current or pending legal proceedings, or

·         Matters relating to employees or former employees of the Council or comments in respect of individual Council Officers

To receive any petitions and deputations provided that no such petition is in relation to:

·         Matters relating to individual Council Officers, or

·         Matters relating to current or pending legal proceedings

Report of the Group Manager for Environmental Health and Regulatory Services.

The report before Members outlined an objection to the proposed tariff changes for Hackney Carriage fares which had been published on 28^th November 2011.  The Committee was asked to consider if they wished to amend the proposed tariff changes in the light of the objection or allow the new tariffs to be implemented, without amendment, from 1^st February, 2012.

Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. empowered the City Council to set the hackney carriage fares which had been frozen in May 2011.  The tariffs had been unchanged since May 2010.

In October 2011, Gloucester Hackney Carriage Association (GHCA) submitted a request for an increase of approximately 8% to all tariff rates.  The GHCA had requested the increase to mitigate the rise in the cost of living, fuel, vehicle maintenance and insurance premiums.

Members were advised of the formula which had been used to estimate the increase and the various factors which had been taken into account in the calculation.  Comparisons had been drawn with neighbouring authorities in the south-west region.

Following publication of the new tariffs on 28^th November there followed a statutory consultation period of 14 days.  A letter had been received from the Manager of Associated Taxis dated 8^th December 2011 which objected to the proposal.

The Licensing and Enforcement Manager reminded the Committee that they had the option of making no changes to the proposed published tariffs or that they could determine, in the light of the objection, that the tariffs should either remain the same or be modified further.  Any change needed to take effect before 12^th February 2012.   However, the published proposals reflected the changes requested by GHCA and the officer recommendation was to accept the published tariff proposals and to implement them, without amendment, from 1^st February 2012.

Tuesday, 13^th March 2012 at 6.30 p.m.

Tuesday 13^th March 2012 at 18.30 hours.